Tangled Web
by nessie6
Summary: AU. Naraku's plan for power was so subtle that they didn't realize they were victims before, for some, it was too late. KohakuRin, InuKag, MirSan & more! CHAP 5 UP! Sango discovers just the sort of problems Kohaku has now that he's been released again.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer- I do not own nor did I create Inuyasha, that honor belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

A/N- This prologue is quite long, because it is showing some of the more important parts of the past between two of the main characters: Kohaku and Rin. Usually prologues are short, but this one is around eleven pages.

This fic features many characters and does not just revolve around Kohaku and Rin. There are also many couples, including Mir/San, Inu/Kag, Sess/Kagura, Suikotsu/Kikyou and others.

Also, character relationships may be slightly different from what they are in the anime/manga. For example: Sesshoumaru's and Inuyasha's feelings regarding each other. Because they grew up together in this fic, they don't necessarily hate each other, but they do fight quite a bit. Kind of like quarreling brothers, but they take it to the extreme. No serious attempts on each other's life, however. Only half-hearted ones.

This fic also features flashbacks. All flashbacks are italicized.

**Prologue**

_Rin ran as fast as her skinny legs would let her. Her breathing was hitched as the night air stung at her over-worked lungs. She stumbled over a stone, falling and catching herself on her hands and knees before she scrambled back on to her feet. Her palms stung as tiny bits of gravel found themselves into the scraped-away skin of her bleeding hands. _

_Tears stung at her eyes, but the wind blew them dry on her face. She could still hear the gunshots echoing in her ears. _

_Spotting an alley up ahead, she turned swiftly, scrambling next to a dumpster to hide. The man would not find her here. _

_Had he even come after her?_

_She bit back a sob, the tears filling her eyes once again as she remembered what had transpired only fifteen minutes ago. _

_Why, why had he taken her family away?_

_

* * *

__She spent the next two weeks in an orphanage, until one deceptively kind foster family took her in. _

_Slap. "Stupid girl, don't you know how to talk?" _

_Rin crouched in fear. The man grabbed her by the hair and slapped her hard across the face. "I said, answer me, you stupid girl!"_

_Rin shook her head; she did not know how to make the foster family understand that she just couldn't talk. She had forgotten how. _

"_We told you not to go in to that room!" the man bellowed, and his wife did nothing to stop the abuse on the little girl. She watched a few feet away, her arms crossed against her chest. She had a satisfied expression on her face. _

_With one final slap across the face that had her head reeling, Rin's foster father walked away, leaving her slumped against the wall, trembling. _

_The woman stepped forward, and Rin flinched, squeezing her eyes closed. She did not hit her, however, but instead spat in Rin's face. _

_This had gone on for months and Rin felt she could not live in these conditions any longer. That night, she snuck through her bedroom window and climbed down the tree right outside of it. She ran off into the night, not looking back at the house that had caused her such misery._

_For the next two weeks, Rin lived on the street. She hid in an alley behind a dumpster, hiding from the group of young men as they beat another with a pipe before welcoming him with open arms. _

_Rin learned what exactly a "bad gang" was. _

_The next night, while Rin was fishing through a garbage can for something halfway decent to eat, she heard a menacing growl behind her, followed by two others. Turning around quickly, Rin let out a gasp as she fell to the ground, scooting back away from the starving, mangy dogs that threatened her. _

_They advanced forward, their yellow fangs bared as drool dripped from their black lips, before one suddenly leapt at her. Rin screwed her eyes tightly shut, raising an arm in front of her as a feeble form of defense, waiting for the fangs to rip her apart. _

_They never did._

_She heard something that cut through the air like a whip before all three dogs scuttled away, yelping in pain. Breathing deeply, Rin slowly opened her eyes. _

_She let out another gasp at what she saw. _

_A tall, pale man stood before her, the tips of his index and middle fingers glowing yellow before it eventually faded. He had long, flowing silver-white hair and he was dressed in expensive brand clothes. His expression was unreadable, for he showed no emotion on his face. On his forehead was a purple crescent moon; while on his cheeks were two red-violet stripes that stood out starkly on his pale and perfectly sculpted features. His left arm was missing. He was beautiful. _

"_Where did you get those bruises?" the beautiful man asked, without any hint of emotion in his voice, either. Rin stared at him with wide, brown eyes, unable to speak. _

_Then she smiled; a big, bright smile that lit up her entire face, whether she had a swollen eye or not. _

_His expression did not change. He turned his back to her and began walking away._

_Without any hesitation, Rin followed. _

_From that moment on, she was in Nakamura Sesshoumaru's care. _

* * *

"_Very well, very well," Mr. Miyagi was saying, "If anything should happen to my brother, nephew, or I before my children become the age of thirty, then you shall inherit the company."_

_The man sitting across from Miyagi's desk gave a slight smile before he said smoothly, "It is agreed then? Pleasure doing business with you Miyagi-_sama._"_

_Kohaku peered into his father's office from the doorway, doing his best to remain hidden. Sango leaned over him, peeping in over his head. They both squeaked as Naraku stood up, quietly trying to scramble back and out of sight. It did not work, as Kohaku tripped over his own feet, knocking Sango over in the process. Kohaku's foot upset a small table holding a precious vase. _

_"Oof!" brother and sister both grunted, as Naraku watched them from the doorway. He looked amused but brushed past them without a word. Suddenly, he stopped and turned back towards them, staring at both Sango and Kohaku openly. _

_Sango scowled as she pulled herself to her feet, straightening her mussed up shirt. Naraku stared at her face, making her feel uncomfortable before his attention was shifted to Kohaku. _

_The boy clambered to his feet, strands of his longer hair falling out of its ponytail. His freckled face flushed at Naraku's intense scrutiny of him. The man's thin lips quirked in to a smirk before he brushed past them without a word. _

_"Creep," Sango muttered, before allowing herself in to their father's home office. _

* * *

_Kohaku laughed as his uncle told a rather hysterical event that had happened to his grown cousin at the mall. It involved a very pretty girl, and Kohaku's cousin Hoshiro was blushing furiously, but let his father continue as a smile played at his lips._

_Kohaku's father threw his head back, and let out a hearty laugh. "Well, did you ask her on a date?"_

_Hoshiro huffed. "You know I did. I'm engaged to her, aren't I?"_

_Kohaku grinned, picking up the plates around the table and bringing them to the sink, where his sister Sango was already beginning to wash the dishes. He could see that she was trying to suppress a bout of giggles as she scrubbed at a plate._

_"Aren't they getting married in three months, now?" Sango asked, giving a slide glance towards her younger brother._

_"I believe so. I mean the story happened two years ago, didn't it?" Kohaku grinned. "Uncle seems to forget he's been telling that story over for months and months._

_"That's why Hoshiro puts up with it now," Sango laughed, handing Kohaku a plate to dry. _

_"And Father treats it as if it's new news whenever Uncle tells it," Kohaku muttered, "but it still amuses him, I think."_

_Behind them, the course of the conversation had drastically changed. _

_"Have you heard anything else on Naraku, brother?" their uncle asked. _

_Kohaku shivered. He had met Naraku, and something had not felt right about the man with long, wavy dark hair and piercing eyes. He had stared at Kohaku rather strangely when he had come across him and his sister. _

_"No, not since we've settled on the matter," his father replied. _

_"He was scary," Kohaku chimed in, toweling dry the last dish. Sango went to sit down at the table. Their father sent a meaningful look towards his brother, conveying that he did not wish to speak further on the subject in front of his children. _

_"So Kohaku, you are eleven now, yes?" his uncle asked, backing his chair away from the table. "And your father and sister have told me that you have earned a black belt?" he grinned. _

_Kohaku nodded, his face reddening slightly. _

_His father pushed himself up from his seat. "Well, I believe it's time to watch the news. There's supposed to be a lead on the murders of that one family on tonight. Remember? It happened a year ago. Supposedly it was a mugger, but the little girl is protected from the press and is in foster care. She reportedly turned mute, too. It's all hush-hush from there."_

_The rest of the family followed towards the living room, leaving Kohaku to put the rest of the dishes away. _

_The wind breezed in from the open kitchen window, fluttering the curtains in the process. He glanced out of it, and saw a man standing there, facing the house from across the street. His defining features were not distinguishable but he seemed slightly familiar. There was a sharp prick in his neck. A chill ran down Kohaku's spine as he felt his brain start to tingle. _

_His fingers felt numb with coldness as he reached forward, grabbing a large knife. Something whispered faintly in the back of his mind and a shadowed face flashed momentarily in his mind's eye. _

_"Kohaku? Are you coming to watch this with us?" Sango called from the living room. _

_"Yes sister," he said dully, his fingers gripping the cool handle of the knife that he held tightly in his fingers. He slowly shuffled towards the living room. _

_Hoshiro turned around and grinned. "Come sit down with us, Oh-Martial-Arts-Master," he suddenly frowned. "Are you all right, Kohaku?"_

_Before anybody had registered what happened, Kohaku lunged forward, plunging the knife deep into Hoshiro's chest. His cousin gurgled, blood spilling out of his mouth as he collapsed, instantly dead, across the back of the couch. _

_Everybody was shocked into silence and stillness until his uncle suddenly gave a great shout, leaping forward to try to wrestle the knife from his nephew's cold fingers. But Kohaku found strength in himself that he normally would not have, and slammed the heel of his palm into his uncle's throat. He cleanly swiped the blade against his jugular three seconds later. The warm liquid spilled over Kohaku's hands, and down his uncle's broad chest. He stabbed him in the sternum next, bringing the knife down before pulling it out with force. The blood had sprayed part of his face. _

_Slowly, he turned to his father. The man's eyes were wide with terror and disbelief, as he slowly backed away from his son, his hands placed in a placating manner before him. _

_"Kohaku--my son, please drop the knife," he told him gently, but firmly. "Place the knife down, and we'll get help for you. I know you don't mean to do this, Kohaku."_

_Kohaku paused, the knife still raised. Sango was frozen to the spot, waiting to the side with baited breath, and then her eyes widened in sudden horror as she watched the scene play out in front of her. _

_Kohaku had thrown the knife, as if it was a dagger, towards their father. It landed with a muffled thud in the middle of the man's chest. His eyes had widened, holding the handle while blood oozed out over his hands. _

_"No!" Sango shrieked, rushing forward, but Kohaku had been faster as he dashed forward, wrenching the knife free from his father's body before slicing him violently across the throat. He quickly turned to his sister as she pushed him away. The knife pierced through her shoulder and she let out a scream of pain. _

_She was on top of him, straddling his waist in an effort to pin him down. Sango grabbed his wrists and slammed them forcefully on to the floor, making him release the bloody kitchen knife from his numb fingers. _

_"Kohaku, what's wrong with you?" she cried, before she was kicked off of his smaller body. _

_He got up, fists held out in front of him in a defensive manner, and then he sprung into action. Sango prepared herself for the attack, but he feinted and made a grab for the discarded knife instead. _

_He made as if to attack her, before he suddenly slowed down, coming to a halt. Sinking to his knees, a look of horror flashed across his features as he stared at his bloody hands. _

_"Sango, what have I done?" he whispered in horror. _

_"Oh, Kohaku," Sango cried, rushing forwards to embrace him. But Kohaku raised the knife, made as if to bring it down into his chest, but glancing at his sister, he brought it down across the skin on his wrist instead. _

_"No!" Sango screamed, grabbing hold of him. The knife dropped from his weakening fingers. "No Kohaku!"_

_He looked up at her, tears flowing down his cheeks as he choked on a whimper. "I'm sorry, Sango," he said weakly, his face pale, "I didn't mean to—"_

_He slumped in her arms. _

_"Oh, please, no--no," Sango quickly grabbed a blanket from the couch, wrapping hit around his bleeding wrist and squeezing the cut tightly. "Why did you hurt yourself? What happened?" she asked and received no answer. "Oh why--why?!" she cried, bringing him closer, ignoring the pain that reverberated in her wounded shoulder. She rocked him in her arms, before she shakily rose to her feet, her hand gripping her shoulder tightly. She reached the phone nearby and dialed the emergency number with shaky, pale fingers. _

_"Hello, how may I help you?"_

_"Hello?" Sango's voice trembled violently, she was starting to feel woozy, "I need ambulances and the police--my brother just killed my family. Please help he injured himself!" she begged, and a fresh wave of tears started anew. _

_She waited ten minutes until she heard the sirens in the distance. Sango still cradled Kohaku in her arms, holding him tightly to her chest as she stared blankly at the bloody corpse of her father. The door was kicked open and paramedics and police officers flooded in._

_One set of paramedics first checked the pulses of her father, uncle, and cousin before shaking their heads sadly and putting them in thick, black body bags as others turned to her, where the police had already failed to get a response from Sango, as she clutched to her slowly dying brother._

_One paramedic gently pried Kohaku out of her arms, before they put him on a stretcher and hurriedly wheeled him out of the house. They coaxed Sango to stand, and they too put her on a stretcher to be taken to the hospital. _

_They had believed her story; having found no evidence that it had been anyone else. Kohaku's fingerprints had been all over the murder weapon. _

_Since he was only eleven and therefore too young to be tried as an adult, he had been placed in a juvenile correction center. Two months later, he had been moved to an asylum after several attempts at suicide. _

_Sango had moved in with her best friend's family, at the Higurashi shrine. They had been good to her, and sympathetic, making her feel at home. But nothing could fill the void in Sango's aching heart. _

* * *

_After much persuasion from his stepmother and arguments from his father, Sesshoumaru gave in and took Rin to see a therapist. She had not spoken to anybody in the two weeks that she had been taken in to Sesshoumaru's care, and followed him everywhere he went—to his great annoyance. _

_Sesshoumaru took her to an old experienced psychiatrist called Kaede, whom had been recommended by his half-brother's friend. How the stupid girl had known about Kaede was beyond him; he didn't particularly care, either. _

_Rin now sat in a cozy office, facing the old woman. Kaede was perhaps in her late fifties, but looked a decade older because of the deep lines in her face and the eye patch that covered the socket where her right eye used to be. She had long, gray hair that was always loosely tied in a ponytail or a bun at the nape of her neck. She was kind, and Rin rather liked her. _

"_Are ye afraid to speak, child?" the old woman asked kindly during one of their sessions. Rin shook her head, looking up from a picture she was coloring. _

_Kaede's lips pursed in thought, "Hmm. I wonder then. Do ye perhaps—do ye not know how?"_

_Rin looked up with wide, brown eyes. Slowly she nodded. _

_Silently, Kaede watched as Rin finished drawing a rather childish picture of a person with long hair. Her lips quirked up in amusement and she chuckled softly._

"_Is that Nakamura-sama?" she asked, referring to the girl's guardian. Rin's face brightened, and she nodded enthusiastically. _

"_Can you perhaps write down your age, child?" Kaede asked, leaning forward as Rin did so, her face pursed in concentration. She looked up and Kaede smiled. _

"_So ye are seven? Do you know your birthday?" Kaede asked. Rin nodded. "Can ye write that down too?"_

_Rin shook her head, her shoulders slumping. She did not know how to write very well. _

* * *

_Weeks had passed, and Kaede made progress with Rin, learning about her through Rin's pictures. Although Rin had still not spoken, Kaede had hope. Sesshoumaru had been getting impatient, however. _

"_Ye cannot rush a child into these things," Kaede had informed him calmly, although she rolled her remaining eye while he was looking elsewhere. "Besides, I am making progress with the girl. She does interact with others much more now, does she not?"_

_Sesshoumaru stayed silent, confirming the answer._

_Later, during the session, Kaede had received a call. _

"_Excuse me, please," she said, stalking towards the phone on the desk. "Yes?" she answered. "Alright, put her on."_

_Seconds ticked by as Kaede listened to the voice on the other end. "Yes, Sango-san, I understand. I'm seeing him in about fifteen minutes, after the session I am in now. I believe in an hour would be a good time. Yes, no it is not a problem. Good-day to ye too."_

_Rin gave her a questioning look before Kaede granted her a grim smile. "I have other children that I need to help, and that was one of the children's sister. One of the boys resides here in the asylum, and it is very tragic. He's had a very traumatic experience, much like you." She sighed, glancing to the clock at her left. "Well, it's time your session's over, I'll escort you to the waiting room to greet Sesshoumaru."_

_She took Rin's hand, led her down the hall, and released it when she saw the white-haired demon in the waiting room. _

_Rin smiled, took a few steps forward before she faltered. Turning back she looked up into the aged face of Kaede. _

_Determined, she opened her mouth, her voice soft and quiet, "My name is Rin."_

* * *

_Rin hummed as she worked on a puzzle in Kaede's office. After the first time she had talked in so long, she had been unable to stop. Sesshoumaru regretted his decision of sending her to Kaede after that, preferring the quiet Rin much better. _

_But Rin had argued, begging Sesshoumaru to allow her to still see the old woman. Reluctantly, he agreed, and she spent much of her time in Kaede's office, sometimes helping her with errands while the other woman had her hands full. _

_Now eleven years old, Rin had seen her fair share of troubled children. Not that she let Kaede know it, but the woman was probably aware of her doing so. Rin liked to wander the halls, until security would bring her back to the entrance, assuring her that they would let Kaede know where she went. _

_A woman with black hair tied back and wearing white knocked on the door before granting herself permission to enter. Rin looked up curiously, pausing in her puzzle. _

_The woman looked young and rather bored. She didn't spare a glance at Rin before she spoke. _

"_Miyagi Sango requests you to come to room C112," she almost drawled, examining her nails and not hiding the fact that she'd rather be elsewhere. _

_Kaede sighed. "Yes, thank ye, Kagura, I will be there in but a moment."_

_The old woman's joints creaked as she heaved herself up, following the woman to look after a patient at the asylum. _

_Rin turned back to her puzzle, resuming her humming as she placed a few more pieces into their correct spots. Then she followed, careful to keep out of sight. _

_Thankfully, she had not run in to anybody as she zigzagged through the halls, knowing exactly how to get to the room after all the time she spent snooping. She had to go to the third floor._

_Finding the room, Rin tiptoed to it. The door was open ajar. She peeked in._

_A boy around fifteen or sixteen was sitting slouched on the bed, wearing white. His arms were wrapped in bandages and his hands were manacled together. _

_A pretty woman a few years older with a weary face spoke quietly across the room to Kaede. _

"_How much longer does he need to be here?" she asked, her eyes glistening. "I was so happy he was released the first time but-"she gestured to his bandaged wrists._

"_When he stops," Kaede informed him. "But it is not entirely up to me to decide. In the meantime Kohaku needs to be kept here."_

_A hand landed on Rin's shoulder, causing the girl to jump and gasp in surprise. She did not notice that the boy's eyes had darted to the doorway, spotting Rin. _

_Kagura's red eyes stared down at her with an eyebrow raised. Sighing dejectedly, Rin looked back in to the room and was caught by surprise when her eyes met that of the boy's. She stared before Kagura gave her shoulder a slight squeeze and she reluctantly began walking down the hall; where she would take the elevator down to go to the front entrance. _

"_Caught me again, Kagura-san," she said with a small smile. _

"_Hmph," Kagura grunted. "I hate when you do this, Rin. Well, I guess I'll have to call that miserable excuse for a man to come get you."_

_Rin allowed herself a smirk. "Yes, because it is so terrible for you to do so."_

_Kagura glared down at her, her glare more intense because of her blood-colored eyes. Instead of replying with a comment like Rin expected she would, however, she merely grunted. _

_It was fifteen minutes later when she was driving the way home with an irritable Sesshoumaru. He was muttering darkly under his breath. _

"_You know, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin said slyly, "I think Kagura likes you."_

_She watched his face for a reaction, and took delight when she saw his eyebrow twitch. _

"_I mean, she always waits with me until you pick me up," Rin continued. "She doesn't have to do that."_

_His eyebrow twitched again. _

"_You seem to talk about her a lot, perhaps you like her t-"_

"_Enough, Rin," Sesshoumaru demanded tersely with a snarl forming on his lips. _

_Rin beamed at him and snuggled in the back of her seat; content with staring out the window at the buildings she passed by. _

_But she couldn't forget about that sad boy she saw with the bandaged wrists…Kohaku. _

* * *

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	2. Rin's Secret Admirer

_Disclaimer- I do not own Inuyasha, that honor belongs to Rumiko Takahashi._

_A/N- For approximate ages on the characters, see the author's note at the end of the chapter. Thanks for the reviews! Please, if you're reading this, tell me what you thought of it!_

_Enjoy._

**Chapter One- Rin's Secret Admirer**

Rin listened as Satsuki sadly explained to them all that her and Shippou had called their relationship off. Rin glanced at a rather tomboyish girl sitting across from her, noticing that Souten's red eyes had sparked with a sudden interest.

Inwardly, Rin grinned. She knew Souten had been waiting a long time for the two to break up. She grimaced however, when she realized that it might be soon that her friend Shippou might pursue someone else rather quickly, knowing her friend.

"Hello, Rin-chan," someone said nervously behind her. Rin stopped eating her sandwich, and turned around.

"Oh hi, Shintarou-kun!" she said cheerfully, beaming at the boy as he fiddled with a button of his uniform. "Did you want something?"

His eyes were shifty, and Rin thought he looked rather cute nervous. "Well, I was wondering if you are free Friday night."

Rin's eyes widened in realization and the girls she sat with hushed suddenly.

"Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise. "Yes I'm free."

He smiled hopefully at her. "Would you like to go see a movie with me?"

"Oh yes!" she said brightly, "but I must ask Sesshoumaru-sama first, so I might _not _be able to go, but I'll try!"

He beamed and said goodbye to her, and Rin turned back to her lunch, the other girls looking at her with interest.

"You've just been asked out on a date, Rin-san," one of them said, "I do hope you know that."

Rin glared at her. She was not overly fond of Jun, because she acted as if everybody was slower than herself. "Yes I did know I was asked out on a date," she bit back, trying to hold back her irritation.

It was then that the bell rang, and Rin threw out her garbage, gathered her supplies and stuffed them into her backpack. She walked to her next class with Souten and Satsuki, whom she shared gym class with.

After changing in to their gym clothes in the locker rooms, the girls made their way outside, where they would be playing volleyball. It was still a bit chilly, being January, but the weather was unusually warm, and there was no snow on the ground; their teacher had wanted to take advantage before it got cold again. Besides, their gym teacher's idea of warm-ups was something akin to a strenuous workout.

"Hello Fujii-sensei!" Many of the girls waved towards their gym teacher.

She turned and beamed at them, her hands resting on her hips. Despite her condition (her stomach was swelling), she still was in shape, and had no qualms about participating in warm-ups with her students. Rin knew the gym teacher personally, and her name was Fujii Sango. She was married to Sesshoumaru's brother's best friend, and thus, Rin was rather close to the older woman.

"Alright, class!" Sango clapped her hands, gathering the attention of all of the students. "You have five minutes to jog around the court! No cutting the corners, going inside the lines, or walking! I want to see either sprinting or jogging, no slacking off!"

The class groaned, but did as she said. They had learned at the beginning of the year that if you slacked off during warm-ups, she had you doing them the entire class without playing a single game.

Rin jogged alone, wanting to keep her own pace. Someone joined her at her right and she turned her head to see who it was.

"Shippou-kun!" she grinned at him, "How are you? Is your gym class outside also?"

He smiled at her, his fangs flashing in the sunlight. "Yes, and I'm great, how are you Rin?"

"Very well, thank you," Rin answered politely. "I'm sorry about you and Satsuki—"

Shippou waved her off. "Ah, don't be. I broke it off with her. Wasn't that interesting, between you and me."

"Oh," Rin said, her brows furrowing.

"Ah, don't waste your time dwelling on it," Shippou grinned at her. "I'm interested in someone else, and I can't be happy in a relationship if _she's _not the one I actually like."

Rin raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" she said slyly. He just smirked at her, not hinting her on who it was.

Sango blew the whistle and the entire class ran up to form a semi-circle around her.

"All right class!" she said loudly so she can be heard, "I have an announcement! Because of my delicate condition," she made quotation marks with her fingers at the word 'delicate' "I will be unable to actively teach gym class all of the time. So there will a substitute to take over all of the days I will be unable to. It's only twice a week class," she reassured them after they all groaned. "So you will still be seeing me! Also, at the end of class, I have leaflets for exercise sessions using equipment at the recreation center. It will be extra points towards your final semester grade! So it'd be in your best interests to give it a try!"

Some students looked interested, some apprehensive.

Sango beamed at them, and twirled a volleyball that she seemed to have pulled out of thin air on her finger. "Now, let the game begin!"

* * *

Rin stared at the orange-yellow advertisement in her hands as she automatically made her way towards Sesshoumaru's study. Not watching where she was going, she bumped into a creature that came up to about her knees.

"Watch it, you foolish human!" grunted Jaken; clutching that ridiculous two-headed staff he always carried around with him.

"Sorry Jaken-sama," she replied automatically, her feet still guiding her on their own accord to her intended destination as she continued to read the leaflet.

"Hmm, maybe I will go to these sessions, there're only twice a week for six weeks" she said, folding the paper in half and then again before stuffing it in her back jeans pocket. "That's only twelve sessions."

She knocked on the door of the study, taking a deep breath.

"Enter," replied her guardian from within coolly.

She opened the door, peering in before she entered the room all the way. Sesshoumaru sat behind his desk, reading something from a manila folder while Kagura stood to the side, looking miffed. Both appeared rather tense, as if Rin had interrupted one of their many disagreements.

Rin had remembered when Sesshoumaru and Kagura had held a deep attraction to one another, no matter how well they had hidden it. Rin had seen right through the act and kept dropping hints to both that the other liked one another. In the end, they both had married. Whether they were happy about it or not was anybody's guess. Sometimes, they appeared to be but at other moments, they seemed like they wanted to kill each other.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, may I ask you something?" Rin began. He grunted, not looking up from the document he was reading.

"This boy I know," Rin began, and Sesshoumaru's golden eyes averted themselves from the paper to look at her face, the only part of his body that moved. "And he asked me if I would like to go to the movies Friday. So—may I go?"

"No," Sesshoumaru immediately replied, his attention shifting back to the document. Kagura grunted in what seemed to be irritation as she turned to look out the enormous window. Sesshoumaru chose to ignore her.

Rin wilted with disappointment. "Oh—okay," she said, "I-I'll be sure to tell him then."

Without another word, she left the study. Sesshoumaru merely grunted, returning the document to its manila folder and pulling another one out.

_Thwack!_

Sesshoumaru paused in opening the second folder, his eyes closing as his left brow developed a tick.

"Was it necessary to hit me on the face with the fan?" he asked, his eyes still closed.

Kagura snorted, tapping her closed fan against the palm of her hand. "Of course it was. Do you want this girl to become a hermit?"

"I let her socialize with others," he replied, his attention now on another report. His eyes narrowed as the fan hit him again, this time on the back of his head.

"Let her go out on the date," Kagura snapped. "She's nearly seventeen years old and she hasn't been on one yet! How is she ever going to find a mate and have kids if she doesn't get to know how to interact romantically with a male?"

"You are an incessantly annoying being," he grunted, his right hand scribbling his signature against the document before he put it away also.

Kagura rolled her bright red eyes. "Right back at you. Why are you being so stubborn? Let Rin live a little. It's just the movies—"

Sesshoumaru turned to her. "Do you know what they do in theaters?" he asked her with a blank look. Kagura sighed, moving to lean against the desk and awaited his answer.

"They share saliva, molest each other, and when the movie's over they're fornicating in the backseat of an automobile with no recollection of what the plot of the movie was," he stated, as if he were reading from a textbook.

Kagura rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to hit him with her fan again. "Well if that's what _you _were doing at the movies—"

"Don't be impertinent," he interrupted.

"Rin is not that kind of girl," she finished, as if he had not cut her off.

Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment. "Fine," he gritted out from clenched teeth, abruptly opening a drawer to his desk and riffling through it. "Have it _your _way and inform her she may go, but we need to discuss ground rules before she does so. Now in the meantime, leave; I have work to do."

Kagura grunted, muttering, "Sure you do," under her breath as she excited.

* * *

Rin waved cheerfully back at the drugstore owner as she exited, her paper bag filled with personal items in her hand. She made her way down the sidewalk, carefully avoiding bumping into other people. She hummed a little tune to herself, until she noticed a green car pulling up in an empty parking space beside her. The car's window rolled down.

"Hey Rin!" Higurashi Souta greeted, giving her a bright smile. She grinned in return, walking up to the window.

"Hello Souta-kun, how are you?" she asked politely, leaning in towards him.

"I'm great," he said. "Hey, do you need a ride home?"

"Oh don't worry," she said. "I have no problem walking home."

"And I have no problem driving you either," he said with a smirk. "Come on, get in," he said as he shifted books that were on the passenger's seat to the back of the car.

Rin hesitated slightly, then shrugged and walked around the front of the car, opening the door and letting herself in.

"So," Souta said after a few moments of silence as he drove down the busy street. "What's new with you?"

"Oh, nothing really," Rin said. "Oh! I'm going out on my first date Friday night, isn't that exciting?"

Souta didn't reply right away. Rin looked towards him to see if anything was wrong and was surprised to see that he looked a little upset, although he tried hard to mask it. She suddenly remembered Kagome telling her that Souta and his long-time girlfriend, Hitomi, just recently broke up. Rin assumed that the idea of dating made him sad.

"Yeah, it's great," Souta said with forced cheerfulness.

For the rest of the ride to Rin's home, they remained silent. Souta pulled up the curving driveway of Sesshoumaru's gigantic house and stopped just by the front steps leading up to the door. He got out, walked around the front of his car to Rin's side, and opened the door for her.

"I'll see you later, Rin," he said softly, his face sporting a small smile. Rin beamed back at him in return and hugged him.

"I hardly see you anymore, Souta-kun," she said, pulling away from him. "Now that you attend college classes. We should talk more often."

His smile widened a fraction, and he nodded before entering his car and driving away. She waved as he pulled out, and he lifted his hand to her in response.

Rin charged upstairs to her room set the paper bag she had on her nightstand, and dumped the contents of her backpack on her bed, setting on doing her homework right away. From the time that he had first sent her to public school, Sesshoumaru had made it known to her the first thing she did when she got home was to complete her homework. Rin liked this routine, because she found more time to do other things the rest of the day.

An hour later, just as Rin was finishing her last math assignment, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in!" she replied quickly, not pausing in working on the problem.

"Rin," the voice of her guardian distracted her from her work. She looked up, and smiled.

"Hello, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she greeted exuberantly.

"Rin, we need to discuss this—date of yours," he said, with a hint of disgust in his usually guarded tone. Rin's eyebrows rose in question.

"What would you like to discuss, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked.

"Rules," he replied curtly, taking a few steps further into her room before crossing it and sitting in the chair at her desk. "First off, you are to be home no later than…ten," he said, as if he had originally wanted it to be earlier than the time he prescribed, but a certain woman had argued to make it later.

She nodded, thinking that this was reasonable.

"Second," he continued, "there is to be none of him touching you in inappropriate areas of your body, and vice-versa," he gave her a stern glare. "I believe I do not have to describe what the consequences will be for the both of you if the two of you engage in rutting."

Rin felt her entire face, neck, and ears heat up. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" she choked embarrassingly, her eyes darting to a corner of the room away from him. "Please, I wouldn't do that!" she pleaded, wanting him to not discuss this any further with her.

Sesshoumaru did not move for a moment before he nodded. "Very well," he said, "that is all."

He left without another word, leaving Rin horribly mortified.

* * *

Since Rin was off of school on Friday because of a teachers' meeting, she sat with Sesshoumaru and Kagura in the dining room while all three of them ate breakfast. There was a knock on the front door, and they heard Jaken bustling to answer it.

They heard muffled voices, and Sesshoumaru straightened up in his seat, his eyes narrowing as he looked towards the entranceway that could be seen through the open doorway of the dining room. Rin and Kagura, not having as good as hearing as he did, looked at him in question.

Grumbling, Jaken entered the room with a bouquet of pink flowers. He shoved them in Rin's face.

"Here, brat," he sneered, "someone delivered these to you."

"Oh!" Rin's face lit up as she bent her face down to smell the flowers' intoxicating scent. A card fluttered to the floor, unnoticed by her.

Sesshoumaru pushed back his chair, and strode over to her, stepping on Jaken on the way. He bent down, picked up the small piece of paper. His eyes scanned the typing on it, and they narrowed minutely.

"'_I didn't have the courage to tell you the other day_,'" he read out loud," "_but I have feelings for you. I hope you appreciate these roses. They smell sweet like you. Love, Someone-who-likes-you.'_" Sesshoumaru let out a small growl, dropping the card in front of Rin. "What is this rubbish? Who is it from? Who's been smelling you?" he demanded.

Rin looked at him in surprise. "I do not know," she answered. "It is probably from Shintarou, although he could have put his name. I know he likes me, now." She frowned slightly, but then beamed as she abruptly got up from her seat.

"Oh, I must put this in a vase with water right away!" she said, running out in to the hall to grab a vase from one of the small tables. They heard running water from the kitchen and her humming, before she reentered the dining room without the flowers.

"Well someone is very sweet," she stated, resuming in eating her pancakes. Kagura chuckled a little, giving Sesshoumaru a pointed look that he ignored.

* * *

"Thank you for the flowers you sent me, Shintarou-kun," Rin said graciously as he walked her to the front door right after their date.

He gave her a confused stare. "Flowers?"

"Oh—uh, never mind, then," she said, giving out a nervous laugh. They stopped right outside her door. She fidgeted with her hands awkwardly as she waited for him to leave.

He paused, hesitating slightly as he leaned forward slowly. Rin felt her eyes close, waiting for the contact.

The door opened. "It's late, Rin."

Both teenagers jumped about a foot away from each other, looking wildly towards the source of the interruption. Sesshoumaru stood in the doorway, his tall frame towering over both of theirs. He looked especially menacing since the light next to the door illuminated his face in an eerie yellow glow, casting some areas in shadows.

"R-right," Rin stammered. "I'll see you at school, Shintarou-kun." She quickly hurried inside.

Sesshoumaru waited until he heard her running up the stairs. His gaze then flickered to the trembling boy in front of him.

"If you try that again I will personally tear your spine from your body," he said without emotion before he shut the door in the frightened young man's face.

* * *

Rin watched from a bench nearby as Shippou tossed another flat stone across the pond, counting as it skipped six times. She turned back to her math, working out another problem.

"So how are you and that girl doing?" Rin asked. "She's the one that owns that cat like Kirara, right? Her name's Koume?"

"Yeah," Shippou replied, skipping another stone. "She's real sweet. I'm just not sure if she'll last any longer than Satsuki, though."

Rin allowed a grin to cross her face. "If you keep this up you'll be like Miroku-sama," she teased.

Shippou let out a sharp laugh. "Yeah, well at least he found himself a nice woman who'd put up with him in the end."

Rin nodded, smiling. "Yeah, he sure is lucky he found Sango-chan."

"Did Shintarou ask you out again?" Shippou said, turning to look over his shoulder at her. Rin frowned slightly.

"No," she answered. "It seems as if he's been avoiding me."

Shippou looked thoughtful. "Maybe it's because Sesshoumaru scared the shit out of him."

"Shippou-kun, watch your language!" Rin admonished, but she thought on what Shippou had said. It seemed like it would be a likely reason for him to avoid her. She sighed in disappointment.

"Someone also sent me flowers," she said after awhile. Shippou shrugged, skipping another rock. A smiling couple passed between them on the stone path in the park.

"Lots of guys like you, Rin," Shippou stated, "and it's because you're pretty and kind-hearted. You don't bully anybody or discriminate against the youkai or the hanyou, like some people do. There are guys who admire that."

Rin blushed slightly. "I'm not that much of a saint, Shippou."

Shippou cracked a fanged grin at her. "You're pretty damn close."

He skipped another rock, and they fell in a comfortable, companionable silence.

* * *

_A/N- Is the little girl's name in "Shippo's First Love" named Satsuki? I can't find this anywhere._

_Ages on characters that have appeared thus far:_

_Rin- 16, just two months shy of her 17__th__ birthday, a junior in high school_

_Shippou- 16, born in the same month as Rin, a junior in high school_

_Sesshoumaru- 36 but looks the exact same as the series…in his mid-twenties_

_Kagura- 29 but looks the same as in the series…in her early twenties_

_Souta- 19, has graduated from high school and now is in college_

_Shintarou- 18, is a senior in high school_

_Souten- 17, a junior in high school_

_Sango- 25, just three months shy of her 26 birthday_


	3. Baby Troubles

_Disclaimer- I do not own Inuyasha. That honor belongs to Rumiko Takahashi._

_A/N- If you haven't noticed, I'm using the first few chapters to establish the characters._

* * *

**Chapter Two: Baby Troubles**

It was the next Saturday after Rin's first date that Kagome strode in to the living room right after lunch, followed by a disgruntled and mumbling Jaken.

Kagome was Sesshoumaru's brother's wife, and she was probably one of the nicest people that Rin knew. The older woman smiled brightly at the teenager. She then nodded to Kagura and Sesshoumaru, the smile still adorning her face. Kagura nodded back, her red painted lips quirking slightly in greeting. Sesshoumaru did not look up from the book he was reading.

"Good afternoon, Kagura," Kagome said. "Hello Sesshoumaru. I was wondering if I could kidnap Rin for awhile."

Rin's eyes widened, and she turned to give Sesshoumaru a pleading look.

"Very well," he said stiffly, and Rin jumped to her feet, lunging forward to hug him tightly.

"Oh, thank you very much, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she exclaimed.

She pulled away, turned to Kagome, and said, "I just need to put shoes and socks on, Kagome-chan, and then I will be ready."

She rushed to do so, and then she met Kagome at the front door. Kagome smiled at her.

"Hurry, Sango-chan's waiting in the car," Kagome said, opening the door. "We're going shopping for baby clothes."

"Oh!" Rin said excitedly, following her out the door and into the car. "This will be so much fun!"

It was a few hours later that the three young women sat at a booth in Wacdonalds, laden with shopping bags filled with baby items.

"I know I shouldn't have bought so much," Sango said around a mouthful of her second hamburger, "but all I have is girl baby clothes, and I _know _that this one will be a boy." She patted her very slightly swollen belly for emphasis.

Kagome giggled. "And he's not even due until June—and it's mid-January!"

Sango blushed, looking sheepish. "Well I got excited."

Kagome and Rin laughed.

"I am worried though," Sango started saying, "About leaving the girls alone with Miroku and Inuyasha."

Kagome chuckled, "Oh, they can handle themselves just fine."

"It's also good practice for Inuyasha for the future," Sango said slyly. Kagome's face turned a beet red and Rin had to put her hand over her mouth to stifle the giggles that threatened to erupt from her.

* * *

"She won't go to sleep!" Miroku said in a panicking voice to his best friend, whom was busy trying to ignore the large, staring brown eyes of a three-year old toddler, Sakura.

"Feed her some whiskey," Inuyasha replied, shifting slightly in his chair at the kitchen table so he would face away from Miroku's oldest child.

Miroku threw him an icy glare, still bouncing the red-faced infant in his arms in an attempt to quiet her screams. "Do you know how violently Sango would kill me if she ever found out I even thought of doing that?"

"Keh! Figure something out then!" Inuyasha snapped, abruptly getting up from the chair and pacing towards the refrigerator, grabbing a can of soda. He opened the tab, swearing as foam burst from the little hole, drenching his hand with it.

"Damn it!"

"What's that mean?" a small little voice asked sweetly from somewhere near his feet. Inuyasha looked down, his golden eyes meeting the light brown ones of Sakura. She stared at him unblinkingly, her eyes wide as dinner plates. It rather unnerved him.

"Nothin'," he muttered, turning away and making his way towards the living room, in hopes of escaping by watching the television.

He collapsed on the couch, grabbed the remote control, and clicked on the picture box.

"What are you watching?"

"News," Inuyasha grunted.

"What's that?"

"News."

"But what _is _that?"

"Keh! It's the news alright?" Inuyasha snapped, turning the television off with a sigh. The girl seemed unfazed by his behavior. She scooted closer to him, her wide eyes coming within inches of his face.

After several seconds of her just staring at him and making him fidget, he got up abruptly and started walking around the house, trying the shake the girl off away from him.

It did not work.

She kept following; asking questions that only one of the insane could answer.

And he was _not _one of the insane.

* * *

"Are you sure Inuyasha won't be a little to harsh on them though?" Sango asked, finishing her fries. Kagome shrugged.

"He's not the most patient guy in the world," Rin supplied an answer, "but he's not bad. He won't be yelling at them like he does with everybody else. I remember when he babysat me a couple times. He acted like he didn't want to play board games with me, but he was actually really in to it. He was always a sore loser when he lost to Candyland."

"I'm just nervous," Sango admitted, "it's the first time in a long time I left them home with Miroku."

"Stop worrying, Sango-chan," Kagome soothed. "They're fine."

* * *

"Why did the soda explode? Aren't you supposed to clean that up? When are you going to clean that up?"

Inuyasha stopped and whirled towards the little girl. "Shut up!" he finally snapped. Sakura immediately quieted.

Inuyasha regretted his outburst as he watched her big brown eyes fill with tears, her lower lip trembling slightly. Then she let out a piercing wail.

"Why—are—you—so—mean—to—me?" she choked out between sobs.

"Don't cry," Inuyasha pleaded, a note of panic seeping in to his voice. "Please, please, don't start crying!"

Sakura burst out a fresh wave of salty tears.

The doorbell rang. Inuyasha let out a momentary sigh of relief before he rushed off to answer the front door, glad for an escape from his mistake. Sakura followed him, her breathing coming in strangled gasps. Inuyasha wondered if she was going to hyperventilate; he'd worry about that when he answered the door.

It was his father. Known as Inutaisho, Inuyasha's father stood beaming at him at the front door, with the same silver hair pulled back into a high ponytail. He was taller than both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, although the elder was closer in height. Adorning his smooth face was a jagged purple stripe on each cheek, and the same golden irises that he had passed down to both of his sons.

"Inuyasha," his voice was rich and deep, "I have a favor to ask of you," he said as he let himself in, closing the door behind him.

Inuyasha took a moment to answer, getting over his shock at finding his father in his friend's house. "What?" he asked, a bit of irritation lacing his tone. He watched as Inutaisho strode towards the crying three-year old, a look of concern etched across his handsome features.

"I need you to pick up a dress that I had ordered for your mother," he answered, "I will be unable to do so in time for tonight as I will be busy." He reached down and lifted Sakura up securely in his arms, and asked her softly what was wrong.

She didn't answer, but her gasping sobs died down slightly.

"There is no need to cry, young one," Inutaisho said soothingly, rubbing his clawed hand gently up and down her small back. "Whatever Uncle Inuyasha did, he didn't mean it. He's a very stupid young man sometimes and should keep his foot in his mouth."

Sakura giggled slightly, not exactly understanding what the demon had said, as he ran a thumb over her cheek, wiping the tears away. Her eyes were still glassy, but she had stopped crying.

Inuyasha was about to protest when Miroku entered the room, still bouncing Haru in an effort to calm her down. "Oh, it was you at the door, Inutaisho-sama."

"Yes, I just stopped by to ask Inuyasha a favor," Inutaisho said as he gently set Sakura down firmly on her feet on the floor. She immediately ran to Inuyasha, her arms sticking out towards him as a bright smile adorned her face.

"I forgive you," she said in the sweetest voice and Inuyasha sighed in resignation, bending down and scooping her up, and settled her on one side his hip. Her small fingers immediately entwined themselves into his silver hair that she held such a fascination with.

"You will never get that babe to sleep jittering her around like that," Inutaisho reprimanded, taking the infant out of her father's arms before settling her in his own. He started rocking her gently, cooing to her softly as she immediately quieted. Her eyes, which had not yet changed to their permanent color and were still gray, drooped closed.

"Oh this brings back fond memories," Inutaisho sighed wistfully. "I sure hope that I will get to hold my own grandchild in my arms like this soon," he said pointedly.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. His father chuckled, knowing exactly what his son did.

"Your brother does that too," he said, a smile gracing his lips, "It does get rather tiresome."

He passed Haru back to her father, smiling. "You have such sweet children, Miroku. You are very blessed, indeed."

He turned to Inuyasha, taking a pad of sticky notes out of his chest shirt pocket and a pen. He scribbled something down, before handing it to his son.

"That is where the dress is," he said, sounding businesslike now, "I'm sorry I just didn't call you. But your mother would have found out if I did," he tapped his temple twice. "That woman always has a way of knowing things. Now, don't you dare mention a word of this to her, it's a surprise for her birthday. Good-day to you both." And he let himself out the door.

Silence followed after the door snapped shut. Inuyasha set down Sakura, and made his way to the kitchen. In a daze, Miroku followed him.

The hanyou was boiling water for ramen before Miroku spoke.

"How, in the name of Buddha, did he do that?" He asked in amazement.

"Keh," Inuyasha grumbled, before digging in to the cooked noodles.

* * *

_I hope I have everyone in character! _

_Ages of the new characters featured in this chapter:_

_Inuyasha- 26, nearly 27_

_Kagome- 24, nearly 25_

_Miroku- 28, nearly 29_

_Inutaisho- Unknown…pretty old, but looks perhaps in his early to mid-forties._

_Sakura- 3_

_Haru- will be one year in 2 months_


	4. The Brother No One Spoke Of

_Disclaimer- I do not own nor did I create Inuyasha, that honor belongs to Rumiko __Takahashi._

_Hentai- basically means pervert, if you didn't know already_

**Chapter Three- The Brother No One Spoke Of**

Rin made her way silently down the hall of the recreation center, feeling slightly nervous. She twisted the handle of her small purple duffel bag, where her gym clothes, shoes, and a water bottle were currently packed in. At the moment she was dressed in a pair of old blue jeans, a loose t-shirt, and a pair of white slip on shoes.

It had said on the leaflet that they would be meeting in the weight room, in Room 110. Rin had only been to the recreation center a few times, having come to visit Souta when he was an assistant coach for a soccer team for boys ages eight and under.

At the center there was a gym, which was located adjacent to the office where you would sign your children up for special activities. Across from the main office, there was a long hallway, with eleven rooms and two bathrooms on each side.

Rin made her way down the hallway, glancing over the doorway of each room, reading the numbers. The second room on her right, which was past the first girls' washroom, was occupied by perhaps twelve young boys; none of them seemed to be over the age of nine.

The door was halfway open and Rin paused, glancing at the watch wrapped around her wrist. She was about ten minutes early, so she had time to change into her gym clothes and have a peek at what the boys were doing.

The instructor was a man, tall for someone of Japanese descent (standing at a little over six feet). He had broad shoulders and a burly figure, but he seemed to be in between his late teens and early twenties. Dark, shoulder-length hair was tied back into a high ponytail and he was clothed in black. She did not have a good view of his face.

He was kneeling on one knee, adjusting the position of one boy's stance before nodding and standing up. Rin let a small smile cross her face as she left, in search for the room she was supposed to be at.

The room was further down the hall, the last one residing on the right side. Rin entered it, immediately spotting Sango as the pregnant woman adjusted equipment.

"Oh, Sango-chan, are you sure you should be doing that?" she asked in concern, walking briskly towards the older woman. Sango turned, slightly startled, but she smiled.

"You're like everybody else, Rin-chan," she grinned, "but don't worry, I'm not an invalid yet."

Rin giggled, glancing around the room to see no one else there. She moved to a far corner of the room, the one farthest away from the door.

"Ah, I'll just change here," she told Sango. "Can you make sure no one comes in while I'm in the middle of dressing?"

Sango nodded, not glancing at Rin, with her hands on her hips. She inspected every piece of equipment with her lips pursed.

"Hmm," she grunted. "I'll need Kohaku to set that one up for me, it's too heavy for me without hurting my back."

"Kohaku?" Rin questioned, pulling the white sweater over her head.

"Yes, my brother, remember?" Sango said with an eyebrow slightly raised. "He's helping me with this, so I don't 'overwork' myself," she finished with a roll of her eyes. "Oh, hello, Shiori-chan!"

Rin looked towards the doorway and grinned at the hanyou girl. Shiori was very nice, but she was also very shy and timid; it was most likely because of her mixed heritage. Rin knew that Inuyasha was slightly uncomfortable being half-demon, although he handled the matter in an entirely different manner than Shiori did.

Shiori smiled back at her, her lavender eyes bright. Already she was dressed in her gym clothes, her white hair pulled back and away from her tanned face.

A few girls had arrived after Shiori, although it was not yet the designated time that they would begin. Although not very good friends with Souten, Rin was glad that the thunder demon had decided to come too.

The girls stood in a circle to the side, and they talked about things in general before Sango said, "Oh, there you are, Kohaku! I need you to move this for me."

All the girls, Rin included, snapped their heads towards the doorway, whispering. He had changed out of his light, black clothing to a pair of black workout pants that buttoned up the side and a gray muscle shirt. Kohaku had stridden to his sister, to where she indicated to an exercise bicycle.

"You shouldn't strain yourself, Sango," he was telling his sister softly, noticing how she was rubbing her lower back with a slight grimace. Effortlessly, he lifted the bike and moved it to the spot where she silently pointed.

"He is very good looking," Shiori admitted quietly to Rin, and Rin nodded, although she still had not caught a very good look at his face.

Sango had then designated people to a certain task, on what her opinion of their own pace should be. It was then that Jun had entered, with three of her friends.

Rin had never liked Jun in the few years that she had known her. Jun had always bragged on having the best things and having a lot of money; Rin lived with a man whose family was swimming in it, but she had never exploited the fact.

Sango had set Jun, Souten, and a few other girls at a higher pace, Rin noticed. It was most likely because those girls participated in sports, with Jun playing softball and Souten just about all of the sports. Rin had a suspicion that the demon-girl trained with her older brothers.

Rin had completed her task of pushups, lunges, weightlifting, stretching, crunches, and sit-ups. Although it was near the end of the hour, Sango said that she could not leave until she had ten minutes of running a mild pace on the treadmill. Sweaty and aching slightly, Rin nodded in slight reluctance as she shuffled her way towards the only open treadmill. Jun occupied the one right next to hers.

Rin had started the first five minutes off at a nice, steady pace, until she heard Jun laughing to her right.

"You're not getting tired, yet, are you, Rin-_chan_?" Jun sneered, running at a pace that outstripped Rin's.

Rin scowled, setting the machine at a higher level just to prove to Jun that she was not weak. Although this, she soon realized, was a mistake, as she soon had a stitch grow at her side. She breathed, feeling like a fish as her cheeks puffed out at each exhale. Jun's derisive laughter rang in her ears.

Suddenly, she felt the movement under her feet slow, and she glanced up, almost coming to a standstill when she saw Kohaku standing there, his hand on the settings. Without realizing, she stumbled back slightly, but his large hand had wrapped around her forearm, the other reaching around to yank the key free from the switch. It had saved Rin from flying off of the machine.

"Don't overwork yourself," Kohaku said softly, but his voice held no weakness in it. "You'll do more damage than good. Here," he turned off the machine completely, "I think you've had enough for today. Go drink some water." He turned to Jun. "You may go now, too."

Without another word, he walked passed them, grabbing a towel hanging on the wall and a clear spray bottle with a blue nozzle. Rin watched as he began to wipe down the equipment. After a few moments as Sango said goodbye to some of the leaving students, she joined him, shifting some of the weights back to where they were.

Now that she had a close up sight of his face, Rin was forced to admit that he wasn't hard on the eye. He resembled Sango in a way, although his features were darker and sharper. His brow was heavier, his eyes a darker shade of brown, and his hair and skin were a darker tone also. The most peculiar thing about his features was the light spattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks; it gave him a slight boyish look.

Wordlessly, Kohaku shoved the towel and bottle into his sister's hands, and took upon the task she was performing earlier himself.

"Miroku will be angry if he finds out you are lifting heavy objects in you condition," he said quietly.

"Oh Miroku can sod off," Sango said good naturedly, a small smile forming at her lips as she hung the towel back on the wall and replaced the spray bottle on the shelf over it.

"Rin, are you still here?" Sango asked in surprise as she spotted that the younger girl was still in the room. "Do you need a ride home?"

Rin was about to decline, but decided not to after some hesitation. "Yes, thank you. It would be best not to bother Sesshoumaru-sama right now. He's not very happy with me doing this in the first place."

"Oh he's just being difficult," Sango waved off, bending down with only slight difficulty as she went to retrieve her bag of supplies. "Well, come on then, you shouldn't keep him waiting."

* * *

Rin sighed in exasperation as she watched Shippou doze off in the desk in front of her, emanating soft snores that could scarcely be heard.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class and the school day.

Rin poked her kitsune friend in the back, but had to prod him harder to wake him up. His spine snapped straight and he shouted, "I didn't let the monkeys loose!"

Rin raised an eyebrow, giggling behind her hand. "Shippou, how are you ever going to learn the English language if you are going to sleep through all of the lessons?"

He turned to face her, rubbing the sleep from his bright green eyes. "Well, I could always get notes from you," he said suggestively. Rin sighed, smacking him playfully in the shoulder before shouldering her backpack, grinning.

"Fine, I'll teach you all you've missed," she said, wagging a finger at him. "But you better start taking your own notes and paying attention, mister, because I will get fed up."

He stood as well, and grinned. "Rin? Fed up? Never!"

"Hey!" he said as they walked together out of the school. "Let's go visit Sango's girls, we haven't seen them in awhile!"

Rin nodded, enthused by the idea. "Alright! Let's hurry and catch the bus then."

The bus trip was only ten minutes, and when they got off on the next stop, they walked the four blocks it took to get to Sango's humble home.

"That Jun was spouting out nonsense again today," Shippou told her as they walked up the sidewalk leading towards the front door of Miroku and Sango's home. "She said something about, "I'll have him in my bed by the end of the month at the latest," I don't know who she was talking about, but she sounded sure of it."

Rin snorted, disgusted. "She disgraces herself. I feel sorry for the poor boy she's making the advances to," she paused at the door, knocking twice and awaited an answer. Shippou chuckled.

"That's why I try to seduce the sweet girls," he smirked, a fang overlapping his lower lip, "Satsuki, Koume…"

"Pig," Rin said, only half-heartedly.

The door swung open, revealing a surprised Miroku with slightly mussed hair. He grinned at them good-naturedly however, when he saw them.

"Well what a pleasant surprise," he said cheerfully, stepping back fully to allow them to pass through the doorway. "I just put Haru down for her nap, and Kohaku is watching TV with Sakura. If you'll just venture forth into the living room?"

He swept an arm out in front of him, gesturing them to go forward. Rin giggled; it sounded as if Miroku promised that the journey would be a grand adventure.

"Kohaku?" Shippou leaned towards Rin slightly, whispering in questioningly in her ear.

"Sango's brother," Rin supplied an answer. Shippou nodded, frowning slightly.

Sitting on the corner of the crème colored sofa in the living room was Kohaku, with Sakura nestled next to him, her wide eyes fixated on the television. Kohaku only spared them a glance, before his attention drifted back to the cartoon displayed on the screen.

Shippou coughed into his fist. "Ahem," he tried to gain Kohaku's attention. The other man's brown gaze shifted back to Shippou, but he didn't say anything.

"Shippou," he said, bowing and then sticking out his clawed hand for Kohaku to shake. Kohaku's eyes slid to it before they reverted themselves back to Shippou's face, and silently Kohaku shook his hand.

"Kohaku," he supplied his name, dropping the demon's hand quickly, his attention back to the cartoon.

"Shh!" Sakura complained, a small delicate digit pressed firmly to her lips. They immediately fell into an uneasy silence.

"Oh!" Rin said suddenly, realizing something. "I better call Sesshoumaru-sama to let him know where I am or he will be angry with me."

"What the dog demon doesn't know won't hurt him," Miroku said in a singsong voice, carrying a tray perched with lemonade and setting it on the coffee table.

"I don't like lying to him, Miroku-sama," Rin argued.

The monk smiled kindly at her. "And that is why you are a better person than most, Rin-chan. I could not say the same for most of Tokyo."

"Like you, for instance?" said Sango behind them, coming from the adjacent hallway that led to the bathroom. She was wearing comfortable fitting clothes and was toweling dry her damp, long dark brown hair.

Miroku had the dignity to look hurt. "My dear Sango, you wound me with your false accusations."

"Lecherous, manipulating, conniving, thieving, hentai…" Sango muttered under her breath, taking a seat in the unoccupied armchair.

Her husband adopted an expression of pure innocence, closing his eyes and holding his hand out in front of him, as if in prayer. "I do not have any inclination of what you are talking about. I _am _but a humble servant of Buddha."

"When it's convenient," she added in a dark mutter, casting him a fierce glare. He did his best to look affronted at her attitude towards him.

"What did I do to deserve such treatment from one so lovely and enchanting?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows in question.

"Try having found out your husband was _tapping _into your neighbor's cable," Sango growled. "I disconnected it, by the way. And if you do something like that again I swear I'll twist your—_get that perverted look off of your face_!"

Miroku quickly wiped his face carefully blank. "I think I will drive Shippou and Rin-chan home, they're family must be worried."

He coughed slightly; standing up quickly, he pecked Sakura on top of the head and swiftly left the room, jangling his car keys in his hand.

On the drive back, Miroku struck up a conversation with them. "I heard Inutaisho-sama is planning a get-together dinner for Sesshoumaru's and Kagura's anniversary."

Rin grinned. "Oh yes; he did invite you, didn't he?"

"Yep," Miroku answered, "along with Kagome's family and you too, Shippou. We've asked Kaede-sama to watch the girls, since she's become such a valued family friend."

Rin smiled widely; she adored the old woman and was quite fond of her. A sudden idea struck her thoughts. "Oh, Miroku, you should tell Kohaku-san he must come, too!"

Miroku's smile faded slightly, but it did not completely leave his face. It was slightly troubled, but after a few moments of silence, he said, "I will, of course, tell him that he's most welcome, but don't count on him being there. Kohaku's not big into social gatherings, even if they are family friends."

"Oh," Rin moaned, disappointed. "That's too bad, then. But he's still very welcomed, I'll mention the idea to Izayoi, she's very persuasive."

Miroku threw his head back and laughed, quickly swerving the car (at Shippou's panicked exclamation) out of the path of another, since he had allowed it to drift in the opposite lane in his few moments of distraction.

"Yes, Izayoi-sama can be _very _persuasive. I remember a few instances when Inuyasha and I were younger—she got us out of a few scrapes with his father," Miroku sighed. "Sweet, wonderful woman, bless her. If she wasn't married and if I hadn't met my dear Sango, I would have fallen in love with her. I continuously tried to get a kiss from her when we were teens (and I still do)…I got as far as the cheek."

Rin stifled a giggle. "But she's much older than you!"

He gave her a wry smile, turning into her street. "Age doesn't much matter when you're in love, Rin. What would you think as an acceptable age difference for you?"

Her face puckered in thought. "Well, I wouldn't have to say more than two years older or younger—for me, that is. I know you're three years older than Sango-chan, and you're perfect for each other."

Miroku looked ridiculously happy with that last statement. "Yes, I suppose we are," he murmured softly.

* * *

"Would you just leave me alone about it!" Kohaku's yell was slightly muffled, as he was towel drying his hair in the bedroom.

"Because you don't go out at all, Kohaku," Sango said firmly. "You won't let Miroku be a friend to you, you won't even let _me _be a friend to you; you're only friend is a three-year old girl."

"So you want me to mingle with a demon family?" Kohaku retorted sarcastically as he tossed the damp towel to a corner of his room, staring at his older sister defiantly before he crossed the room to look for a shirt.

"Better than having intellectual conversations with a toddler," Sango snapped back, putting her hands on her hips. "Please just go for me, at least, Kohaku."

Kohaku pulled a white t-shirt over his head. "I'm not a people-person, Sango."

"I know that," her face and voice softened. "But these are family friends. I'm not asking you to meet strangers."

"They _are _strangers," he said tensely, slamming the dresser drawer shut.

"You know the Higurashi family," Sango said, "You've met Shippou before, and Rin."

"Oh, so I should start hanging out with sixteen-year old teenagers now?" Kohaku turned to her with an angry look in his eyes, but with a huff, he turned and strode towards his bed, collapsing horizontally across it. "I'm twenty-one."

"They're closer to seventeen than they are to sixteen," Sango explained logically, moving over to sit on the edge of the bed. She reached out and pushed back the shorter damp locks from his forehead. He turned his head away. "Please, please just do it for me, Kohaku. It hurts me so much to see you so lonely."

"I'm not lonely," but, even to Kohaku, the denial sounded weak to his ears. Sango caressed his forehead again, smoothing her hand back into his hair.

"You are," she told him gently and not unkindly, "You _are _lonely. Please, I'm asking you to go. They're _good _people, and they're hard to feel uncomfortable around. Please go. For at least my happiness if not for your own."

He turned to lie on his right side, his back facing her. He exhaled a loud breath of air. "Fine. I'll go."

* * *

_Like it? Hate it? Either way, review!_

_Kohaku- 21_

_Jun- 18_

_Shiori- 17_


	5. Her Scar

_Disclaimer- I do not own Inuyasha, that honor belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. _

_I've focused more on Sesshoumaru/Kagura in this chapter than I have with the Kohaku/Rin. _

_Flashbacks and thoughts are italicized. _

**Chapter Four- Her Scar**

"They're having a dinner party for us," Sesshoumaru stated as the two of them walked towards the front doorway of his father's mansion. "For our anniversary."

"Yeah, so?" Kagura said with a bored tone.

He didn't answer as he raised his hand to ring the doorbell. The door flew open immediately, revealing Sesshoumaru's father, who beamed at them.

"Hello!" He greeted cheerfully, stepping back and allowing them in. "The guests of honor are here!" He called throughout the house.

Sesshoumaru released an imperceptible sigh, but followed his father to the dining room. They were greeted by cheers from various family friends—the Higurashi family, the Fujii family, Totousai, Myouga, that kitsune, and Rin.

Rin ran around the table towards them, throwing her arms around his waist. "Congratulations Sesshoumaru-sama!" she grinned up at him before turning to embrace Kagura. "And you too, Kagura!"

They were ushered to the two seats next to the head of the table, which was Inutaisho's; Sesshoumaru sat to his right while Kagura sat to his father's left.

All of the guests sat down after them, with Izayoi taking the seat at the end of the table. Further down from Sesshoumaru sat Rin, sandwiched between his sister-in-law's brother and some other young man he did not know. He decided to question his father's seating arrangements later when nobody was around.

"Now, Izayoi made us a wonderful dinner," Inutaisho stated as he sat down and Izayoi stood up, coming to the head of the table to serve them their food. There was hardly any conversation as all of them dug in to their dinner, enjoying it too much to talk. When Izayoi served the desert, Sesshoumaru took it unto himself to observe some of the guests.

There was that Higurashi woman, talking to his stepmother; Inuyasha and his mate, whom was trying to straighten his shirt collar but his brother was being difficult; that perverted monk and his wife; Totousai, who was trying to yell something across the table to Inuyasha; that old man who might have been a Higurashi, and his grandson, whom was staring at Rin, half-heartedly listening to what the kitsune was trying to tell him.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. He would have to watch out for that one.

His golden gaze slid to the left, past Rin who was smiling and listening to the kitsune also, to the young man that sat to her right. Who was that?

The man did not seem to be paying attention to any person around him. Instead, he was gazing at Kagura, his expression carefully schooled. But there was something flickering in his eyes.

Sesshoumaru slid his glance across from him, observing his wife. She was listening to the conversation between his father and Totousai, whom sat on her other side; but occasionally her red-eyed gaze flickered to the man. Her eyes finally caught his when she felt his stare. She shook her head slightly, mouthing, "I'll explain later," and turned her attention back to the conversation around her.

"Kagura-sama, may I ask something?" came Myouga's voice from somewhere near Sesshoumaru's right elbow. "I have tasted nearly everybody's blood at this table but yours. May I see if it is as tasty as—" Sesshoumaru fisted his hand, slamming it down on the table and effectively cutting the flea-demon's sentence off.

Everybody's head snapped up at the noise, their attention drawn to Sesshoumaru. His father chuckled.

"Now, now, son, it is impolite to squash a guest."

Everybody went back to his or her own conversations, smiling.

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow twitched as Kagura hid a growing smirk behind her hand.

"Kohaku-san, is something wrong?" a voice laced with some concern inquired to his left. He snapped his eyes to Rin, whom was staring at him with wide, brown eyes.

"No," he answered tersely, his gaze shifting automatically back to Kagura.

"Have you enjoyed the food?" she asked, drawing his attention back to her. He sighed, shifting in his seat so he faced her more than he did the red-eyed demon. She was only trying to make him feel more comfortable by trying to keep a conversation with him, even if she didn't know him.

"Yes, it was good," he answered, keeping his voice carefully neutral.

There was silence for a moment, and Kohaku almost sighed in relief until she leaned in and whispered, "Why do you keep staring at Kagura?"

He turned his face to look at hers. "What?"

She stared at him intently, not smiling. "You've been looking at her the entire time you were here. Why?"

He sighed, staring at his plate. Kohaku decided that Rin could know the truth—or at least, he wouldn't lie to her.

"I think," he was saying slowly, in a low tone, "that I know her from somewhere. I'm just trying to remember where."

She leaned back and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I guess that would make sense. Although you should make it more subtle, I think Sesshoumaru-sama's getting suspicious of you."

Kohaku almost smiled, but he didn't. "Yes, I guess I'll stop."

He wondered if Kagura remembered.

* * *

"Well, that was nice of them," Kagura stretched and yawned, leaving her shirt on the floor before she discarded her black skirt. She sat on the bed, removing her shoes and then tossing them across the room. 

"That does not go well with the decorum," Sesshoumaru stated, eyeing her discarded clothes in distaste. "They would go well much better in the hamper."

"Oh, shut up," Kagura yawned, pulling the covers of the bed back and settling herself in. "So where are you taking me tomorrow night?" she asked as she snuggled into her pillow.

"That is not of your concern," Sesshoumaru said, getting undressed more carefully than she had; he sat on the bed and unbuttoned his shirt, slowly taking it off and setting it neatly folded besides him as he bent down to remove his shoes.

"It was obvious why your father set the dinner for tonight instead of tomorrow," Kagura's voice was muffled by the pillow, "he didn't want to interfere with any plans you might have had."

"My father's thinking is wishful," he said, taking the folded clothes and carrying them to the hamper. He walked back to the bed and settled in, not bothering to put on his pajamas. "He is still pushing my brother and I for grandchildren."

"Still?" Kagura said tiredly. Sesshoumaru did not answer her as he settled himself into his soft pillows.

Sesshoumaru knew from the first time he met that woman that someday he would want to kill her. His premonitions were proven correct when he watched her sneer at him, his hands itching to wrap themselves around her neck.

"Rin, go to the car," he said in monotone. Rin looked between Kagura and Sesshoumaru with wide eyes, something knowing in their depths. Sesshoumaru was too irritated to interpret it at the moment.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin said cheerfully, skipping past him and out the door, in to the parking lot.

_Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as Kagura smirked up at him, her arms crossed against her chest. _

"_Well what do you want, Sesshoumaru-sama," she mocked. _

_Clenching his fists together at his sides, he opened his mouth to tell her exactly what he wanted—to kill her, but the words came out entirely different from what he intended. _

"_Friday night, seven o'clock, wear something formal."_

_Her face went slack with shock, and it was a good thing that he was so good at schooling his expression because he knew he'd have looked the same otherwise—he had even shocked himself; where had that come from? But it was worth seeing the look on her face as soon as his sentence formed. Smugly, he realized that he was at least one up on her. _

_He allowed a grin on his face, and he knew it looked more scary than inviting, and almost smirked when he saw that her arms became unfolded at her chest and were now hanging limp at her sides. _

"_Be ready on time, Kagura," he said, his face now back to being expressionless. "I like to be punctual."_

He shifted on the bed, turning on his side facing her. He noticed that she had left her hair up with the sticks still in them. He grew irritated, knowing that she would be complaining loudly in the morning because her hair was tangled in them. He contemplated taking them out, but decided to leave them to teach her a lesson. He would just ignore her in the morning.

_He picked her up at her home on Friday, at exactly seven o'clock in the evening. She answered the door irritably and the first thing that came out of her mouth was, "I'm not ready."_

_He was very close to killing her; again. Didn't he inform her that he liked being _on time.

_He observed her, noticing that she had her hair and makeup done, her shoes were on, and her dress was on. How could she not be ready?_

"_What is holding you up?" he asked in a bored tone, inviting himself further inside the house and closing the door behind him. _

"_Nothing," she muttered, looking to the side. Her hands were behind her back, and she seemed to be struggling with something, although she was hiding it very well._

"_Turn around," he demanded, seeing what the problem was._

_Her eyes flashed and she snarled at him, "Excuse me?"_

_Growing even more irritated with the woman, he grabbed her arm and turned her, so that her back was facing him. She shouted at him, struggling slightly, but he held her in place, his strength far outweighing hers. He was right in his assumption; she was having problems with the zipper on her dress. _

_Then he noticed something. The skin on her back was of a darker color than the rest of the skin on her body. It was marred, the tissue looking much more delicate and weak compared to the rest. Her back was heavily scarred. _

_He noticed how her heart was beating more frantically, her breath coming in shorter intervals, even though she was doing an admirable job hiding it. She was clenching her fists tightly at her sides, her arms stiff. _

_Wordlessly, he zippered the back of the dress and said expressionlessly, "Come. We're late."_

He turned, and didn't see the small, grateful smile that formed on her red lips.

It was Sunday night, and Kagura sat at her vanity, applying makeup. Sesshoumaru was right to predict that she would be angry about her hair. It had taken her an hour of trying to untangle it before she was forced to ask him for his assistance.

It had taken even him a while to untangle them, since her hair was very wavy rather than straight like his. He had suggested, only half-seriously, that he use his claws to just cut them out. She had snarled at him and told him that if he did, she would castrate him and he would never get a chance to produce those grandchildren his father so desperately desired.

Wisely, he had kept silent. He knew a serious threat when he heard one; he had made plenty of them before to know the difference.

She sat now in front of the mirror, spreading the red eye shadow over her lids, humming slightly to herself. She wore a long black skirt, with slits going up the sides. The spider-shaped scar on her back was exposed to him, partially covered by the wavy black hair that she had tied in to a high ponytail instead of her usual hairstyle.

He was straightening the navy blue tie at his neck when she turned to him, holding a shirt in each hand.

"Red or black?" she asked.

He didn't look up or even glance at the shirts, but answered, "Red."

"Hmph," she grunted, but tossed the black shirt to the side as she pulled the red shirt over her head.

"So what was it about that brat at the dinner last night?" Sesshoumaru asked stoically, pulling out a pair of black socks from his dresser.

"Oh that? That's Kohaku," Kagura said, as if that answered everything.

He pulled on a sock, and when she didn't elaborate any further he said, "And?"

"He's Sango's younger brother. Rin invited him."

She rolled her lipstick out of the tube before applying it carefully to her lips.

"And you know this because?" Sesshoumaru grabbed his shoes next to the bed and set them on his feet, tying the laces neatly.

"He used to be institutionalized at the asylum while I worked there," Kagura answered nonchalantly, smacking her lips together. "He was released only two years ago."

"And why was he there in the first place?" He walked into the closet, taking the dinner jacket from its hangar.

She stood in the doorway, staring at him dispassionately. "My, my, you've been bitten by the curious bug, haven't you?"

"Just answer me, wench."

She shrugged one shoulder, saying casually, "He killed his father, uncle, and cousin when he was eleven."

Sesshoumaru paused in buttoning up the jacket, looking up at her. "And my father had him seated next to Rin?"

She scowled at him. "Leave it alone. He didn't remember what he had done until he was released the first time, and then they had to put him back. It's a terrible thing, but don't you mention it."

Sesshoumaru grunted, pushing past her and shutting the lights off to the bedroom. "We need to drop Rin off at my brother's before we go. We'll be waiting in the car."

Sesshoumaru had made reservations at a Western restaurant at 7:30 that night. A valet had taken his vehicle, probably parking it somewhere far from the restaurant. He took Kagura's hand, tucking it into the crook of his arm. He knew that this restaurant required proper etiquette.

They were led by the maitre de to a more secluded section of the restaurant, where only the extremely rich can afford. There were only four other couples/families there to eat. When the waiter came to take their order, he noticed Kagura did not hold back on the extravagance of the meal, and it annoyed him slightly, knowing she was taking advantage. She ordered the most expensive thing on the menu, the lobster.

"I want this cooked _rare_," Sesshoumaru said, refusing to give the menu to the waiter until he had it written down thoroughly, "I do not know what the concept of rare means to chefs, but to me it means that it is extremely pink in the middle and that when I cut it, the juice is still red. Do you understand?"

The waiter gulped, fear written all over his youthful face as he nodded vigorously, taking the menus and then scuttling away.

They enjoyed their dinner; when they were finished only Kagura ordered a desert, despite the fact that she was full.

Suddenly, he felt something warm and soft rub up against his leg under his pants. He didn't move, only his eyes flickering up to stare at the woman across from him. She didn't even seem to notice what she was doing.

"What?" she said, spooning some crème brulèe into her mouth.

He grunted, and flagged the waiter to receive the bill. When it came, he was faintly annoyed at the price but paid it anyway without any complaint. Kagura ate the most, anyway.

The foot was still trailing up his leg. Not that he didn't like it, but he wouldn't admit that to her in his or her lifetime. Ever.

He barely had time to remove his shoes, socks, and jacket before she had shoved him forcefully onto the bed. He was only faintly surprised, although he didn't let it show on his face as he let her attempt to unbutton his shirt. After releasing a frustrated growl, she simply ripped the shirt open, sending buttons flying across the room. He scowled, annoyed.

"You _are _going to be sewing those buttons back on," he told her as she tugged on his loose tie, trying to remove it. "And you'll choke me if you continue to do that."

"Shut up," she growled. He sighed, stopping himself from rolling his eyes and grabbed the hem of her shirt, calmly pulling it up over her head. "Why do you wear a shirt under a shirt?" she howled in frustration, hitting him in the chest.

He sat up, pulling the undershirt over his head, removed the tie and then unclasped her bra. She was a little over eager, but then, he realized, they _hadn't _been intimate in quite awhile.

'_When was the last time we—oh. Well that _was_ a long time ago.' _

And an anniversary for a marriage was as good as any excuse to go at it…it actually was a very _good _excuse.

They both _did _have six months of pent up frustration to spend, anyway.

_It was the first time they had ever made love to each other, and she was lying sprawled on his chest, her ebony hair cascading in waves over her back, hiding the ugly flesh underneath. _

_Her cheek rested on his bare chest, and she pulled back slightly to look at his face. His eyes were closed, but she knew he was awake as he opened them slightly. She shifted her gaze to his left arm. The flesh on most of it was darker than where it was at the shoulder, and it seemed weaker than his right. _

"_What happened to your arm?" she asked softly. _

_He gave his arm a dispassionate stare. "My brother cut it off."_

_Her eyes widened in surprise. "How did that happen?"_

"_It was an accident. I'll tell you the full story later. It was cut off seven years ago, but it's still in the process of healing fully." His expression was stoic. _

_She laid her cheek back on his chest, deciding that it was more comfortable there. "I don't remember how I got the scar on my back."_

_He didn't say anything, but she continued. _

"_In the hospital, they told me that I got the scar from the fire that killed my family," she told him quietly. "I have no memory of the fire."_

_He remained quiet. _

_She continued, "But the thing is, I know I was told where my scar came from, but I don't _remember _them telling me. I don't _remember _being in a hospital either, but I have a memory of being there."_

_"That's exactly how I remember my whole life as. I have memories, but I don't remember them happening. I'm pretty fucked up."_

_He gave no reply. _

"_Bastard," she growled, looking up, "You better not be asleep, not after telling you all—oh," she cut herself off. _

_He hadn't been sleeping; his golden eyes had been focused intently on her. He seemed to be thinking hard about something. _

_Uncomfortable with his intense scrutiny, she rolled off him, settling on her side with her back facing him. Desperately, she tried to fall asleep. The bed shifted behind her, and she felt a warm hand splay itself against the large scar. She could not quite hold back a small gasp of surprise at the touch. _

"_I find it odd," he said quietly, his hand moving up her back until the tips of his clawed fingers reached the nape of her neck, "that it is shaped like that of a spider."_

_She held her breath, but all he did next was move his hand back down her back and around her waist, pulling her against him. _

He stared at her scar even now, after four years of marriage. It still intrigued yet bothered him. There had to be something more about the fire that had caused it.

He reached out, moving his hand up against it, shifting her long hair out of the way. Kagura stirred slightly, but she remained asleep.

He sighed, but put his arm across her waist, and pulled her to his chest. Slowly, he drifted off in to a light sleep.

* * *

_Guys, please let me know what you think of this story so far with a review. You don't know how encouraging they are to a writer. It's one of the things that keeps a writer's motivation on a story going! So please, be kind and let me know your thoughts . _


	6. The Letter

_Disclaimer- I do not own Inuyasha_

_A/N- Thanks to all who reviewed. This will be the last regular (well, semi-regular) update for awhile. Chapter six is being worked on, but I have to sit down and plan out how I really want the next few chapters to go. Thanks for reading!_

* * *

**Chapter Five- The Letter**

Pain robbed his senses for a moment and Kohaku dropped his plate as his hands flew up to hold his temples; the plate shattered into pieces on the floor. Black spots danced across his vision and he swayed for a moment as the painful throbbing in his skull escalated.

His headaches sometimes came out of the blue, and it was all he could do to be prepared for them.

Squinting and hissing in pain, he stumbled from the kitchen (cutting his foot through his sock on a stray piece of sharp glass) and made it to the bathroom to his medicine cabinet. Almost blindly, he searched through it, knocking aside bottles of anti-depressants prescribed to him by Kaede and sleeping pills. He managed to find the aspirin, dumped what was left of the bottle into his palm (seven pills) and put them in his mouth. He bent over and turned the faucet to the sink on, cupping water in one hand and drinking as much as he could.

The pressure in his head was agony, and his mouth started to numb. Hurriedly, he threw himself over the toilet, making it just in time as his stomach emptied its contents into the porcelain basin. Kohaku's body shuddered with dry heaves, and a few tears pricked out of his eyes.

Without moving anything but his arm, he shakily flushed the toilet.

It was a moment before he noticed a stinging sensation on his right foot, but with his head still throbbing painfully, he took no action to relieve the painful feeling.

Curling his body in the best fetal position he could manage while still laying across the toilet, Kohaku fell in to a light doze.

"Kohaku?! Kohaku!"

Kohaku groggily opened his eyes, aware of a dull pain in his foot, and a headache of lesser proportions than the one that occurred earlier.

He felt somebody grab his wrists, and heard them breath an enormous sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank Kami," he heard his sister whisper. "I saw the broken dishes, and the blood trail on the floor, and I thought—I thought you gave up again. Oh, thank goodness it wasn't that."

Forehead resting on the seat of the toilet, Kohaku tilted it slightly so one squinted eye could peep at her.

"Jus' a headache," he mumbled, and winced when she raked her fingers through the short hair not pulled back by his ponytail.

"Did you take an aspirin?" she asked softly, gently rubbing the back of his neck and between his shoulder blades in an effort to soothe the pain.

"Projected it into the toilet a second later," he winced and closed his eyes again, turning his head back to its original position. "Can you check my foot?"

His sock was pulled off and tossed into the small garbage can next to the sink. "It'll need stitches," Sango told him, wetting a washcloth and cleaning it off as best as she could.

"I'll take you to the emergency room," she offered when he didn't respond. She sighed, and stood up, using the edge of the sink to brace herself.

"You scattered all of your prescriptions," she said and started to rearrange them as Kohaku shakily pulled himself up to sit on the toilet. He clutched a hand to his forehead and took deep breaths, listening to the rattle the pills made inside their little bottles as Sango neatly stacked them back inside of the medicine cabinet. There was a pause in the rattling a minute later.

"Kohaku," Sango spoke after a pause, eyeing the label of a bottle in her hand. Her voice sounded tense. "Why do you have sleeping pills?"

"I need them," he answered curtly.

She turned to him; lines of fury on her face and angry sparks in her eyes. "You know what Kaede said about you taking sleeping pills. They might not mix well with your anti-depressants and you're liable to become reliant on them."

"I can't _sleep_," Kohaku retorted angrily. "I need them to _sleep_."

She slammed the bottle onto the counter, "You're not getting the _point_, Kohaku! These pills may turn out to be more harm than good! If you're having nightmares again you should _talk _about them! Then you'd be able to sleep better!" Her voice rose in volume.

There was a silence as Kohaku gritted his teeth together.

"Just take me to the hospital," he managed out tightly. There was a pause and then Sango sighed, setting down the bottle and moving to put his arm around her shoulders. He stood up, wobbling slightly on his left leg and they slowly began to make their way across his apartment and to her car.

* * *

Rin swatted Shippou's hand away as he yet again flicked her hair. 

"Shippou-kun, you are getting extremely annoying," she said, trying to sound miffed but not succeeding in doing so. He pouted at her. It was then that Inuyasha entered the living room, carrying a box full of books.

"He's a fox-demon," Inuyasha stated matter-of-factly, as if this explained everything that was remotely wrong with Shippou.

"Ah," Rin said in complete understanding, pointing one finger towards the ceiling and shared a knowing look with her guardian's brother.

"Hey!" Shippou complained indignantly, and shoved Rin off of the couch.

"Shippou!" Kagome reprimanded as she entered just behind Inuyasha, also carrying a box, although much smaller.

"What?" Shippou said innocently, which didn't fool anyone in the room. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, 'keh'ed' softly, and walked out into the next room. Kagome gave Shippou one last warning look before following after her husband. Rin pulled herself back onto the couch, practically sitting on top of Shippou. He put his arm around her shoulders and turned on the television with a click of the remote.

"They should have a baby," Rin said after a brief lapse into comfortable silence. Shippou's jaw dropped for a moment before he could manage to speak.

"Well…that's up to them to decide if they want one or not," he explained.

"Kagome wants one," Rin said, "She said even one would be enough for her now. When she was younger she dreamed of having a bunch of children, but Inuyasha's hesitating. She just wants to have something that's a part of her and Inuyasha that completely belongs to them."

Shippou thought solemnly for a moment, scratching the back of his neck idly. "Well, Inuyasha had it rough when he was younger, you know? Maybe not so much when he was a teenager, because anybody who gave him crap, he beat the hell out of. I guess he's hesitating because he doesn't want it to go through what he did. I'm sure he _wants _one, but his kid's possible miserable future outweighs his own—and even Kagome's happiness. And he's irresponsible anyway."

Rin stared at him with wide eyes. "Wow, Shippou-kun, that's really, _really _deep," she said mockingly. "Even for _you_."

His reply was to shove her back off of the couch.

* * *

Kagome sipped her drink through a straw as she listened intently as Sango told her about Kohaku. 

"Should I go and tell Kaede about it?" Sango finally asked. Kagome paused in her drink, and sighed.

"If you think that's best," Kagome finally answered. She took another sip of her drink as Sango stirred three fries around in a pile of ketchup. "And I know he's you're baby brother and you love him to death, but you have to force yourself to stop worrying so much about him. He's moved up a step—he's stopped cutting himself. He has nightmares and I don't blame him for having them. When he's ready to talk about them, he will. What you really need to do is focus on your two beautiful children and the one on the way. Miroku's worrying about you…Sango, you have to realize someday that Kohaku is a grown man that can take care of himself."

"But he _needs _me," Sango said angrily, glaring at her friend. "I can't just _abandon _him."

"I'm not _asking _you to," Kagome replied patiently. "He still needs your support, but you just have to give him more space. Now he needs to heal on his own. I'm sure sometimes he feels smothered—not that he doesn't love you or appreciate you."

Sango sighed, her anger deflating as she rested her head in her hand, still stirring the fries around. "He's just so reclusive now…he doesn't interact with people around his age."

Kagome shrugged. "So he's socially withdrawn, he's spent eight years of his life at an asylum with other crazy people. Wasn't the one patient he interacted the most with at that place sort of mute? Saw things in mirrors? Besides…he's helping you with those extra-credit lessons with the girls."

"They're high school girls, Kagome," Sango said flatly, finally devouring the fries. Kagome rolled her eyes.

They ate a few bites of their WacDonald's food in silence for a moment, until Kagome smoothly changed the subject.

"So I hear from Shippou that my brother's already interested in another girl," she said nonchalantly, crumbling the wrapper to her hamburger. "But he won't say who."

Sango looked surprised. "Really? But he and Hitomi only broke up a month ago, and they've been sweethearts since they were _nine_."

Kagome shrugged. "Well, he is a boy. I'm sure the girl is really amazing if he's already interested. That, or he's already known her for awhile."

Sango smirked. "So are we going to have to do some sleuthing?" Her smirk grew into a grin. "Maybe we could send the boys to have a guy chat with him…Shippou already is his confidant, but Mirkou and Inuyasha would spill their guts to us."

"They have no tact. Sending Sesshoumaru to have a heart to heart with Souta would be more effective," Kagome snorted, and then caught Sango's eye.

Next second, they burst into fits of hysterical laughter.

* * *

Kohaku hobbled around his apartment with difficulty. The doctor had ordered him to use crutches, but in his cramped apartment there was hardly any room to use the things. It was on more than one occasion where they caught on a chair or another piece of furniture and he fell flat on his face. 

So now he was hopping on one foot everywhere.

He sighed, settling on the small, slightly battered loveseat as he elevated his foot on the coffee table in front of him and clicked on the television with the remote.

There was nothing particularly interesting on, so Kohaku opted for a game show rerun that he had seen sometime a few years ago. He sighed, feeling completely empty and bored and—he wasn't sure if he dared to believe it or not—but he thought he was developing some semblance of cabin fever. Although he had hardly gone out except when teaching the classes and sometimes for food, he at least _chose_ to stay home. With this injured foot, he had no choice but to lie around all day, and that felt more constraining than ever.

Suddenly the buzzer rang throughout the apartment. Kohaku was so surprised by the noise that he jumped, dropping the remote on the floor.

Someone was visiting him? It couldn't have been Sango, because she usually burst through the door usually without warning, and Miroku had a key to the building, so he didn't ring the buzzer and usually politely knocked on his door.

Heaving himself up from the couch, Kohaku hopped his way towards the intercom. He pressed the button.

"Hello?"

"Hi!" said a bright, cheerful, female voice on the other end. "It's Kagome! May I come up?"

Totally bewildered, it took a total twenty seconds for him to press the button to release the lock in the front of the building. It was about three minutes later when there was someone knocking on his door.

Opening it, Kohaku came face to face with his sister's best friend. Nakamura Kagome, formally Higurashi, was beaming at him.

"Hello, Kohaku-kun!" she said cheerfully, letting herself in as he stepped aside. "Shouldn't you be using your crutches?" she reprimanded slightly.

"There isn't enough space," he answered, hobbling his way to the couch. Kagome still looked disapproving, but she did not comment on it again. Instead, she fixed her beaming smile back on her face.

"Sango-chan asked me to come over and fix you something to eat," she told him. Kohaku's face tinted pink, and he rubbed the back of his neck. "She's out with Miroku, getting an ultrasound."

"You don't have to," he said awkwardly. Kagome waved his answer aside.

"Ah, it's no problem," she said, making her way to the cabinets. She started rummaging through them and then sighed in exasperation.

"Ramen, ramen, ramen," she exclaimed, "I swear you're turning into Inuyasha. That's all he ever eats. No _wonder _Sango sent me here," she muttered under her breath.

She clapped her hands together and turned around towards him. "Well! Since it seems you are low on a variety of foods, I think I'll go out and do a bit of shopping. How does oden sound to you?"

"Umm...good," he replied.

"I'll make it the way my mother does," she smiled at him, excitement filling her eyes, "Mama makes the best oden--you'll love it."

Kohaku allowed himself to grin a little. "Thanks," he said, before the curve of his lips fell completely flat.

* * *

Inuyasha quickly flipped through the mail, tossing the usual bills and credit-cards advertisements on the table. His eyes came to rest on a particular envelope, however. 

It was addressed to him, but the writing was neat, even, and definitely feminine. He recognized the handwriting, and his suspicions were further confirmed when he glanced at the return address.

"Kikyou," he whispered in wonder, then glanced around the kitchen. Clutching the letter in his hand, he went to the living room and saw Shippou idly reading a magazine.

"Where's Kagome?" he asked gruffly.

"At Kohaku's," Shippou answered dully, as if he wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings.

Inuyasha didn't even ponder the abnormality that Kagome was at Kohaku's. Instead, he hurried to his newly rendered office, which was stacked with several boxes at the moment. Locking the door behind him, he quickly opened the envelope, and unfolded the letter within.

It read:

_Dear Inuyasha,_

_I know it seems strange that I am writing to you now, since we have not had contact directly for several years. I heard through my mother that you married Higurashi Kagome, and to that I offer my congratulations. She is a kind woman of strong spiritual power, and she seems like she suits you well. Much better than I did, in fact. _

_I must admit, for the first few years after I heard of your marriage, I have been jealous. It seemed to me as though you had gotten over our relationship too quickly, but I realize that I am wrong now. You have been married for seven years, and it was time for me to let go. In fact, I have most steadily moved on. _

_You may have heard that I attended medical school, in the hopes of becoming a surgeon. I still find time to train young priestesses, but there are very few left with any semblance of spiritual power. I graduated at the top of my class two years ago. I have also met someone, whom I think compliments my personality well. He is kind-hearted, and he is also in the medical field. He cannot stand the sight of blood, so he is a pediatrician instead. Suikotsu is his name, and we have lived together for the past two years, and met three years ago. _

_I suppose one reason I am writing to you is to gain some kind of closure. But I know in my heart that is not all. About a week ago, I had a dream. You know I am not superstitious, but I believe this dream was in some way prophetic. I had a feeling that you, or someone close to you was involved in the dream. It was dark, and there is no way in words that I can describe it. There seems to be a storm brewing. _

_I have given you this warning. Take heed, Inuyasha, for I fear for your life and well-being. There is no need to reply to my letter; in fact, I would prefer if you do not. It is meant as a sign of closure of our past, and a warning. If I want to hear anything, I will contact my mother. Farewell, Inuyasha. _

_Love,_

_Kikyou_

Inuyasha stared at the sheet in his hand in bewilderment. The letter was sudden, and it felt as though lead had dropped in the pit of his stomach, leaving him with an uneasy feeling. What could her warning mean?

He dreaded to know the answer.

* * *

_Come on, tell me what you think of this story so far. Any suggestions? I might stick them in here. _


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